Inflatable bladder for pants and belts

ABSTRACT

A pair of pants with an inflatable bladder preferably includes a pair of pants and an inflatable bladder. The inflatable bladder is contained within the waist area of the pair of pants. The inflatable bladder includes a valve housing and a check valve. A finger pump or a separate hand pump is used to force air through the valve housing into the inflatable bladder. The check valve does not allow the air to escape the inflatable bladder. A belt with an inflatable bladder preferably includes a belt and an inflatable bladder. The inflatable bladder is attached to an inner perimeter of the belt with any suitable method. A finger pump or a separate hand pump is used to force air through the valve housing into the inflatable bladder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to pants and belts and more specifically to a pair of pants with an inflatable bladder that doesn't require a belt and a belt with an inflatable bladder, which doesn't require the belt to have a plurality of prong holes.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

It appears that an inflatable bladder for pants or belts is not disclosed by the prior art.

Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a pair of pants with an inflatable bladder that doesn't require a belt and a belt with an inflatable bladder, which doesn't require the belt to have a plurality of prong holes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an inflatable bladder for pants and belts, which does not require a pair of pants to have a belt or a belt to have a plurality of prong holes. A pair of pants with an inflatable bladder (a pair of inflatable pants) preferably includes a pair of pants and an inflatable bladder. The inflatable bladder is contained within the waist area of the pair of pants. The inflatable bladder includes a valve housing and a check valve. The valve housing extends through a waist area of the pair of pants. A finger pump is preferably attached to a side of the valve housing and communicates with thereof. Compressing the finger pump forces air through the valve housing into the inflatable bladder. The check valve does not allow air to escape the inflatable bladder. The finger pump may be replaced with a separate hand pump. However, the valve housing and the check valve would still be an integral portion of the inflatable bladder.

A belt with an inflatable bladder (inflatable belt) includes a belt and an inflatable bladder. The belt is similar to a typical leather belt in the art, with the exception of a plurality of prong holes. The belt only needs one or two prong holes. The inflatable bladder is attached to an inner perimeter of the belt with any suitable method. The inflatable bladder includes a valve housing and a check valve. The valve housing extends through the outside perimeter of the belt. A finger pump is preferably attached to a side of the valve housing and communicates with thereof. Compressing the finger pump forces air through the valve housing into the inflatable bladder. The check valve does not allow air to escape the inflatable bladder. The finger pump may be replaced with a separate hand pump. However, the valve housing and the check valve would still be an integral portion of the inflatable bladder.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pair of inflatable pants, which do not require a belt to tighten thereof around a user's waist.

Finally, it is another object of the present invention to provide an inflatable belt, which does not have a plurality of prong holes.

These and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inflatable bladder with a pump in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pair of inflatable pants in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side cross sectional view of a waist area of a pair of inflatable pants in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a finger pump in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of an inflatable belt in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an inflatable belt in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of an inflatable bladder 10. With reference to FIGS. 2-4, a pair of inflatable pants 1 preferably includes a pair of pants 12 and the inflatable bladder 10. The inflatable bladder 10 is tubular and sealed on both ends. The inflatable bladder 10 is preferably fabricated from rubber, but other suitable materials may also be used. The inflatable bladder 10 is preferably retained in a waist area 16 of the pair of pants 12 with by sewing a piece of pliable material 18 around the inflatable bladder 10. The piece of pliable material 18 may also be a portion of the pair of pants 12. The inflatable bladder 10 includes a valve housing 22 and a check valve 24. The valve housing 22 extends through the waist area 16.

The valve housing 22 is sealed to the inflatable bladder 10. The valve housing 22 includes an inner perimeter 20 that is sized to receive the check valve 24. The check valve 24 includes a sealing member 26 and a sealing spring. The sealing member 26 is biased by the spring 28 to seal the inflatable bladder 10 from air leakage. The air in the inflatable bladder 10 may be bled out by pushing the check valve 24 inward. A finger pump 14 preferably extends from a side of the valve housing 22. A bulb flange 30 is sized to receive an end of the finger pump 14. Compression of the finger pump 14 breaks the air tight seal between the sealing member 26 and an inner perimeter 20 of the valve housing 22 and pressurizes an inside of the inflatable bladder 10.

Finger pumps are well known in the art for athletic shoes and need not be explained in detail. U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,470 to Auger et al. discloses a finger pump in FIG. 76. U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,470 is hereby incorporated by reference. The finger pump 14 may be replaced with a separate hand pump that is capable of communicating with the valve housing 22. However, the valve housing 22 and the check valve 24 would still remain an integral portion of the inflatable bladder 10. The pair of inflatable pants 1 may be pre-inflated, or inflated while retained on a user.

An inflatable belt 2 includes a belt 32, the inflatable bladder 10 and a piece of pliable material 34. The belt 32 is preferably similar to any belt in the art. The belt 32 preferably includes a belt buckle 36, a prong 38 and a belt loop 40. The belt 32 only needs one or two prong holes. The inflatable bladder 10 is retained on an inside perimeter of the belt 32 by attaching the piece of pliable material 34 over the inflatable bladder 10 to the inside perimeter of the belt 32 with any suitable method, such as sewing. The valve housing 22 extends through the belt 32 (not shown). The finger pump 14 is preferably positioned in a front and center of the belt 32 for convenient filling. The finger pump 14 may be replaced with a separate hand pump that is capable of communicating with the valve housing 22. However, the valve housing 22 and the check valve 24 would still remain an integral portion of the inflatable bladder 10. The inflatable belt 2 may be attached pre-inflated or inflated, when secured to a pair of pants.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A method of retaining a pair of pants on a person, comprising the steps of: providing a pair of pants; retaining an inflatable bladder in a waist area of said pair of pants; extending a valve housing from said inflatable bladder, said valve housing including a check valve; and filling said inflatable bladder with air through said valve housing, said check valve retaining air in said inflatable bladder.
 2. The method of retaining a pair of pants on a person of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: extending a finger pump from said valve housing.
 3. The method of retaining a pair of pants on a person of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: filling said inflatable bladder with a hand pump.
 4. The method of retaining a pair of pants on a person of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: retaining said inflatable bladder adjacent said waist area by attaching a piece of pliable material around said inflatable bladder to an inside perimeter of said waist area.
 5. The method of retaining a pair of pants on a person of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: fabricating said inflatable bladder from an air retaining tube sealed on both ends thereof.
 6. A method of retaining a pair of pants on a person, comprising the steps of: providing a pair of pants; retaining an inflatable bladder in a waist area of said pair of pants; extending a valve housing from said inflatable bladder, said valve housing including a check valve; extending a finger pump from said valve housing; and filling said inflatable bladder with air through said valve housing, said check valve retaining air in said inflatable bladder.
 7. The method of retaining a pair of pants on a person of claim 6, further comprising the steps of: retaining said inflatable bladder adjacent said waist area by attaching a piece of pliable material around said inflatable bladder to an inside perimeter of said waist area.
 8. The method of retaining a pair of pants on a person of claim 6, further comprising the steps of: fabricating said inflatable bladder from an air retaining tube sealed on both ends thereof.
 9. A method of tightening a belt around a waist of a user, comprising the steps of: providing a belt; retaining an inflatable bladder adjacent an inner perimeter of said belt; extending a valve housing from said inflatable bladder, said valve housing including a check valve; and filling said inflatable bladder with air through said valve housing, said check valve retaining air in said inflatable bladder.
 10. The method of tightening a belt around a waist of a user of claim 9, further comprising the step of: extending a finger pump from said valve housing.
 11. The method of tightening a belt around a waist of a user of claim 9, further comprising the step of: filling said inflatable bladder with a hand pump.
 12. The method of tightening a belt around a waist of a user of claim 9, further comprising the step of: retaining said inflatable bladder relative to said belt by attaching a piece of pliable material around said inflatable bladder to said inner perimeter of said belt.
 13. The method of tightening a belt around a waist of a user of claim 9, further comprising the step of: fabricating said inflatable bladder from an air retaining tube sealed on both ends thereof.
 14. The method of tightening a belt around a waist of a user of claim 9, further comprising the step of: retaining a belt buckle with a prong on one end of said belt, forming at least one prong hole in the other end of said belt. 